In April 1937 a party of Rotarians from the Rotary Club of Uxbridge, accompanied
by their wives, set out for the R.I.B.I. Conference in Bournemouth. These wives would
be responsible for opening the first Inner Wheel Clubs in the area which would eventually
became known as District 9.

Two of these wives were invited to attend the Association’s Annual General Meeting
during which the Inner Wheel founder, Mrs. Margarette Golding was presented with
the beautiful ring from all members as a thanksgiving for all she had done to found
the Association. The Uxbridge wives were introduced to her and to the Association
President, Mrs. Shakerley, who invited them to meet her for coffee the next morning
at the Hotel Metropole.

The Uxbridge wives returned home determined to start an Inner Wheel Club in Uxbridge.
Mrs. Wade was chosen as Founder President with Mrs. Gregory as Founder Secretary/Treasurer.

The new club was placed in the care of No. 13 District Committee and no record of
No. 9 District would be complete without a tribute being paid to this committee.
Windsor and Eton Club was formed two years later in 1939. Both Uxbridge and Windsor
Charters were presented at district meetings of No. 13 Committee.

The war years prevented further extension but early in 1944 at a meeting of No. 9
District Rotary Council three members of Uxbridge Inner Wheel were invited to speak
about the Inner Wheel movement. The President, Mrs Chaney, gave such an interesting
and glowing account that and the result was the formation of two new clubs – Rickmansworth
and Watford.

Thus No. 9 District Inner Wheel came into being and the Inaugural Meeting took place
on 4th October 1944, by which time the clubs of St. Albans and Hertford had been
added to the membership. Uxbridge Club was invited to be the host club for the meeting
Mrs. Lewis, the then Association President, was to have attended for the formation,
but she was prevented from doing so by illness and her place was taken by Mrs. Cote,
the Association Vice-President. Mrs. Wade of Uxbridge was elected Founder Chairman
of the newly formed District 9. As a tribute for all she had done to aid formation
of the District Mrs. Chaney was elected the first member to represent the District
on the Association Council.

Other Clubs were formed during the very successful 18 month chairmanship of Mrs.
Wade but the District suffered a terrible blow in 1946 when Mrs. Varney, the Chairman
Elect, died suddenly on the eve of taking office so Mrs. Ogg of Rickmansworth, the
Vice-Chairman Elect had to assume the office of Chairman, having been a member of
Inner Wheel for only two years. A tremendous debt is owed to these founder members
of the District - everything was new, there were no records to turn to and, of course,
not very much money.

Extension spread rapidly throughout the District, mainly due to the good work of
the Extension Committee – formed in October 1945 under the able guidance of Mrs.
Thomas of Windsor& Eton as Chairman.